The Whiskey Sea Review & Giveaway

If you’re looking for your historical fiction to add an element of adventure or a touch of romance, look no further.  Ann Howard Creel’s new novel does just that.  I learned about the lengths people would go during Prohibition for extra money.

After her mother’s death when she was just a child, Frieda and her sister, Bea, were taken in by a fisherman, Silver, when they had nowhere else to go.  He cared for them as if they were his own.  When he loses the ability after a health crisis to take care of himself or the girls, Frieda is left to pick up the pieces to take care of him and pave a way for a better life for Bea.

As a trained boat mechanic, an opportunity presents itself to help the rumrunners make nightly boat trips for liquor to sell in town.  As lucrative as it is, it’s extremely dangerous.  Not only to be caught by the guard boats and arrested, but to be captured and killed by pirates.

The book started and hooked me right away, as I haven’t read anything before about rumrunners during Prohibition.  I loved how Frieda was feisty and fought hard for what she wanted, unusual for these times.  While other girls went to school to study to become nurses or teachers, she knew she was meant to work on the sea.

I thought the middle of the book got a little bogged down with a new romance that seemed out of character for her.  But the ending also was a page turner.

For anyone who enjoys historical fiction, if you’re looking for a new-to-you subject, this is one to pick up.  The adventure is enough to hold your interest.

 

image About the author:

Ann Howard Creel is the author of ten published novels–four middle grade, three young adult, and three adult novels. Her children’s books have won numerous awards, and THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie for CBS.

Creel’s latest novel, THE WHISKEY SEA, a story about a female rumrunner, is available on Amazon as a Kindle book, paperback, audio book, and MP3 CD.

For more information, visit Ann’s website.

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Thank you to TLC, I have a copy for one lucky reader.  Please fill out the Rafflecopter below.
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The Monster’s Daughter Review & Giveaway

I applaud author Michelle Pretorius for this novel.  She managed to teach me about a completely new to me culture in an interesting way.  This novel takes place in South Africa from 1901 to the present.  For someone like me with no previous background on the subject, she wrote a historical thriller that managed to shock me at times.

There are dual storylines at play here.  We start out during war in 1901 with a doctor performing unethical medical experiments on people.  Fast forward to 2010 where we meet Alet, a constable for the Unie police, called to investigate a burned body.  The story alternates between Alet’s search for a current killer and the flashbacks of how this murder relate to what happened in the past.

At one point I gasped out loud with a twist I did not see coming.  Pretorius has a knack for pacing and knows just how to drop the right clues when, an amazing feat for a debut novelist.  It was incredibly researched.  However, this is not a novel to read when you are doing multiple things at once.  You need to pay attention and focus.  There’s a lot of characters and how they relate to each other is essential to your enjoyment of the story.

I did love the South African terms and titles I was unfamiliar with interspersed throughout the story.  Aside from the central mystery to solve, I was learning about scientific advancements, race relations, and politics of what seems to be a corrupt system in Africa.  Both storylines keep you glued to the page as the mystery unravels for both the reader and our protagonist.

imageAbout the author:

Born and raised in South Africa, Michelle received a B.A. at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein. She has lived in London, New York, and the Midwest and holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. She is currently a doctoral student in creative writing at Ohio University.

Connect with Michelle
Website | Facebook | Twitter

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The Munich Girl Review

I know there is an abundance of WWII books in the marketplace right now, but I promise you this is a book unlike any other.  It is so well researched that it is hard to believe it is fiction.

The Munich Girl tells the story of Anna Dahlberg, a university professor who after remembering a young girl’s portrait from her childhood, sets out to discover its origin.  Little does she know this journey will turn the life as she knows it upside down.  As she does her research, she unravels a background of her mother that has been hidden her whole life.  And the encounters with historical figures are eye opening as well.

I truly enjoyed reading about Eva Braun, a woman in history I knew nothing about.  And from what Phyllis has written in this book, a woman rarely written about.  As Hitler’s mistress (and very short time as his wife), she puts a happier and innocent face on such a trying era of our past.

The duplicate storylines between the past and present keep this story flowing and would be recommended for fans of Orphan Train, The Mapmaker’s Children, and What She Left Behind.  And for those who read and enjoyed The Nightingale, I think you’ll also love this women-focused account of the past.

As of this posting date, the Kindle edition of The Munich Girl is only $2.99.  An incredible price for this one of a kind historical fiction novel.

image About the author:

As she writes fiction and nonfiction, Phyllis Edgerly Ring watches for the noblest possibilities in the human heart. She’s always curious to discover how history, culture, relationships, spirituality, and the natural world influence us and point the way for the human family on our shared journey.

Her newest novel, The Munich Girl: A Novel of the Legacies That Outlast War, traces a pathway of love and secrets in WWII Germany when protagonist Anna Dahlberg discovers that her mother shared a secret friendship with Hitler’s mistress, Eva Braun. Her journey to discover the truth about this, and her own life, will challenge most every belief she has about right and wrong.

The author has worked as writer, editor, nurse, tour guide, program director at a Baha’i conference center, taught English to kindergartners in China, and served as instructor for the Long Ridge Writer’s Group. She has written for such publications as Christian Science Monitor, Ms., Writer’s Digest, and Yankee, and also published several nonfiction books about creating balance between the spiritual and material aspects of life. More information can be found at her blog, Leaf of the Tree.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Spotlight: A Girl Like You

Synopsis from Amazon:

Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings. Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall—and just when she’s beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead.

When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him—and is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld. Meanwhile, she’s still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe—even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

image About the author:

Michelle Cox has a BA in English literature from Mundelein College, Chicago. While her heart might lie in the eighteenth century with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy or in the crooked streets of Little Dorrit’s London, she tends to write of a slightly more recent age, a time closer to the World Wars, when all was not yet lost and the last roses of summer were first coming into bloom. Cox lives with her husband and three children in the Chicago suburbs. This is her first novel.

Thank you to BookSparks for allowing us to share this book with our readers.

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard Review

When an iconic hat worn by Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind ends up in Christine McAllister’s vintage clothing boutique by mistake, her efforts to return it to its owner take the reader on a journey to the past.

It’s 1938 and Violet Mayfield sets out to reinvent herself in Los Angeles after her dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart, landing a job on the film-set of Gone With the Wind. There, she meets enigmatic Audrey Duvall, a once-rising film star who is now a fellow secretary. Audrey’s zest for life and their adventures together among Hollywood’s glitterati enthrall Violet…until each woman’s deepest desires collide.

What Audrey and Violet are willing to risk, for themselves and for each other, to ensure their own happy endings will shape their friendship, and their lives, far into the future.

(Above synopsis courtesy of the publisher.)

As a pop culture junkie, to get the inside track to Hollywood, especially during the 1930s, was fascinating.  Meissner writes as if you are actually on set with the cast and crew experiencing it just as they are.  I loved the references to the secretaries dutifully following everyone around to take notes and dictation, something completely different from our world today.  My favorite part was all the behind-the-scenes details that went in to make this classic movie.

This was so much more than just a Hollywood story.  At the base of this novel is a friendship between two women and the lengths they go to get what they want.  As unusual as this was back before World War II, it proves to be a battle women are still fighting today.  If you didn’t know the time period of this book before you opened it, you’d realize that Audrey and Violet’s ambitions would make sense even now.

For those who love historical fiction with ties to the present (books like Orphan Train and The Mapmaker’s Children), be sure to add this to your reading list.  Anybody who likes a story with female friendship at its core should pick this one up.

This would make a perfect choice for book clubs to discuss if these ladies made the right decisions and how their lives would be different if others were made.  The paperback copy even provides a reading guide along with an interview with Susan so you can learn more about her writing process.

Thank you to Berkeley/NAL and Susan’s publicist for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

image ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker and writing workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include A Fall of Marigolds, named by Booklist’s Top Ten women’s fiction titles for 2014, and The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 100 Best Novels of 2008. She is also a RITA finalist, and Christy Award winner.

A California native, she attended Point Loma Nazarene University. Susan is a pastor’s wife and a mother of four young adults. When she’s not working on a novel, she writes small group curriculum for her San Diego church. She is also a writing workshop volunteer for Words Alive, a San Diego non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk youth foster a love for reading and writing.

Connect with Susan via her website, Facebook, and Goodreads.

19 Can’t Miss Debut Reads

Oftentimes with the first book of an author, you might not be very impressed and hope that in time their writing and stories improve.  In the cases of these talented novelists, I couldn’t wait for their next release because the debut was incredible.  Here are my 19 Can’t Miss Debut Reads in no particular order.

imageCalling Me Home by Julie Kibler

As soon as I finished this one, I wanted to give it a hug and never let go.  This was the best women’s fiction novel I had read in years.  It broke my heart and comforted me at the same time.  Aside from the main story focusing on race relations, it tells a story of an unlikely friendship between a young and old woman as they take a road trip.

imageThe Magician’s Lie by Greer McAllister

I’ve always been fascinated by illusionists and magicians, so I knew this story of a female illusionist would be a perfect match.  I read this in 24 hours because of how compulsively readable it was.  If you liked The Night Circus, don’t miss this one.  So excited to see a movie in the works too!

imageBeautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Imagine being a teenager and having to move to a new city.  You’re the kind who doesn’t intentionally draw attention to yourself but now you are befriended by the most popular girl at school.  Would you trust her to keep your secrets? This is a true “not everyone is who they seem” story.

imageJulia’s Chocolates by Cathy Lamb

Once I finished this book, I became a lifelong fan of Cathy Lamb.  She puts so much love and personality into her characters.  After leaving her abusive fiancé at the altar, Julia is on the run.  This novel has a hopeful message but is filled with funny and unusual characters and scenarios along the way.

imageOnce We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson

A legal thriller and a story of a family torn apart during the Holocaust, this book had me flipping the pages to discover what happens next.  It was originally self-published but came so highly recommended and popular that St. Martin’s Press had to publish it under their imprint.  If the WWII era is a must read for you, don’t miss out on this one.

imageWhat Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross

This novel asks the question, What defines “motherhood”?  Is it the act of giving birth or raising a child?  Can it be one or the other?  Book clubs will have lively discussions surrounding those questions as they learn a 4-month-old baby is kidnapped from a shopping cart and raised by a woman eager to have a baby.

imageBefore I Go by Colleen Oakley

Have tissues handy.  The protagonist in this novel, Daisy, beats cancer once only to find out it has returned and she only has months to live.  In her short time left, she wants to make sure her husband is taken care of, so she sets out to find him a wife.  Oakley sprinkles some humor throughout so the book isn’t a complete downer and had me thinking of what I would do in a similar situation.

imageThe Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley

Another great read for book clubs, this thought-provoking novel is a ripped from the headlines story and has you questioning your beliefs.  Sibley is a former nurse and writes from experience.  As a family is torn apart dealing with an ethical dilemma, the reader is left wondering how it will play out.

imageStill Missing by Chevy Stevens

This disturbing thriller put Stevens on the map for page-turning mysteries and now I won’t miss one.  If you want an easy to read book, the short chapters make for one that won’t take you forever.  If you like shows like CSI and Criminal Minds, be sure to give this author a try.

imageA Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable

Art, antiques, love, Paris.  That was enough to win me over.  But I loved how Gable combined two storylines, one historical and one in the present to unearth the truth.  So much of that reminded me of a favorite author, Sarah Jio.

imageShelter Me by Juliette Fay

I was worried a book about a widower and her young children wouldn’t be able to hold me captive but I was glad I was wrong.  You will find yourself cheering for this flawed mother as she takes the year to reflect on heartbreak and forgiveness and realizes you don’t have to do it all alone.

imageLetters from Home by Kristina McMorris

In this day and age, when we so commonly communicate with emails and texts, reading this historical fiction told through handwritten letters was refreshing.  The story is based in part on the love story of her grandparents. So if you need a book to pull you out of your fast-paced and hectic life into a romance of an earlier generation, this is it.

imageThe Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin

As soon as I finished reading this one, I started recommending it to friends.  It is absolutely going on my best reads of 2016 list, as it had the most unique storyline I’ve ever read.  I was completely caught up in this spellbinding premise and loved how Guskin was even able to incorporate a mystery.

imageRoses by Leila Meacham

Roses is a saga in every sense of the word, one that spans three generations of three families over the 20th century.  Even though it’s hefty at over 600 pages, it reads quickly because you’ll be eager to learn the fates of these families.  Gone with the Wind fans will especially enjoy this one.

imageThe Good Girl by Mary Kubica

When you see a psychological thriller debut being compared to Gone Girl, you are likely to be skeptical.  But Kubica really hit it out of the ballpark with this novel and did it with such ease.  New writers will be having their books compared to hers in the future.  Read more about this book and Kubica’s writing process in my interview with her here.

imageA Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I did not know what to expect when I received this book. Hailed as an international bestseller, this novel from Sweden didn’t seem like it was up my alley. It follows Ove, a grumpy widower not sure how to spend his days other than doing daily neighborhood inspections. As the book quickly grew on me, so did Ove. I dare you to read this and not feel good when you’re done.

imageA Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison

This is a beautifully written story about an extremely ugly topic, human trafficking.  Addison seamlessly weaves an important message throughout this story.  With a background in law and activism, his books always teach me something new.

imageFive Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer

When a new book is blurbed by Jodi Picoult, I know I’m in for a treat.  And sure enough, this didn’t disappoint.  Told in two separate storylines of two characters with five days left before the world they know is changed forever.  This novel constantly had me asking myself, what would I do in their situation?

imageHush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

This emotionally charged story of domestic violence had me so captivated that I neglected my responsibilities while reading it.  It was one of those books where you know what’s going to happen, but you don’t know when or how, like a car crash you can’t turn away from.  All the characters felt so real to me.  It’s impressive when fiction reads like it could be nonfiction.

What debut novels did you love that didn’t make the list?  I would love to hear your recommendations and your reviews on the ones I loved.

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The Mapmaker’s Children Review

Lately I have been drawn to books that mix a storyline from the past along with one from the present, like Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline and What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman.  Even better if there is a connection that ties the two together.  In Sarah McCoy’s The Mapmaker’s Children, she does that beautifully.

The historical side tells the story of Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, who was executed for aiding slaves through the Underground Railroad.  Sarah’s artistic talent lends itself to the cause, as she’s able to create detailed maps to assist the slaves in finding freedom.  Knowing she will forever be unable to bear children, she risks her life to fight for what she believes is right.

Fast-forward to the present where we meet Eden Anderson, a former PR executive who moves to New Charleston and discovers a porcelain doll head in her pantry.  She becomes angry and bitter after struggling with infertility in a new town where she knows no one.  That is, until her 11-year-old neighbor appears and helps become a detective as to why that doll is in her house.

Sarah McCoy truly has a way with words and as the chapters alternate between past and present, you oftentimes believe you are reading separate books because of how distinct the writing is.  I learned so much about the Brown family and saw the Civil War through their eyes.  It’s amazing how much we can take for granted now, just having a warm house in winter and food on our table, things that families had to fight for during hard times.

The newly released paperback version of this book is perfect for book clubs as it already has preprinted questions and a discussion with Sarah about her research into this story and music she listened to while writing.  I am eager to go back and read the author’s first novel, The Baker’s Daughter, knowing how much I enjoyed this one.  Be sure to check out Sarah’s bio on the Penguin Random House page.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.  Thank you for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

White Collar Girl Review

There’s so much I liked about this novel and related to. It tells the fictional story of Jordan Walsh, a female reporter starting at the Chicago Tribune in the 1950s. All she wants is to be taken seriously as a reporter amidst all the men. She does whatever she can to report on the real news stories, not the society ones they assign to her. It was fascinating to see this perspective considering how different times are now with reporting. As a journalism major, I was intrigued to learn how it used to be in newsrooms where women had to fight just to be treated with respect. And growing up in Chicago, I also enjoyed the bits of history during that time period.

This is a must read novel for historical fiction fans and a great intro to the genre for those who enjoy women’s and contemporary fiction.  If you need a suggestion for your book club, this will also prompt lots of discussion.

I look forward to reading Renee Rosen’s earlier novels. Thanks to Goodreads and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Best reads of 2015

2015 was an incredible year for new releases. Some of the best books were published in 2015. I read so many outstanding ones that I couldn’t even narrow my list down to 10. I have books in all categories: fiction, nonfiction, thriller, historical fiction, even ones for your kids. So here are the top 12 books (in no particular order) I loved this year.

Best reads of 2015

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I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes: If you’ve ever seen an episode of 24, you’ll know what I mean when I say “edge of your seat.” This debut was like an episode of 24 … on speed. It is a roller coaster ride that spans decades and continents. The author is a screenwriter, and they’re talking movie, so make sure you read this ahead of time. It’s long but I guarantee you won’t notice as you’re flipping pages at a breakneck speed.

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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: Ever deserving of its multiple awards, this post-apocalyptic story is more about the characters than the setting. This book jumps back and forth in time as it introduces a Hollywood actor and a band of traveling actors, some of who we meet prior to the flu apocalypse that wipes out civilization and some who we meet after. Its originality and writing is like nothing I’ve ever read.

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What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman: If you’re a fan of Orphan Train, then make sure to add this one to your list. It’s similar in structure but with a historical story I found hard to put down. Our main character, Clara, is institutionalized in the 1920s because her society parents disapprove of her new love. As she’s fighting to prove her sanity and escape, we learn there’s more to the mystery. You’ll be racing to find out what happens as you’re left hanging after so many chapters.

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Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Behind Blackfish by John Hargrove: Once I saw the documentary Blackfish, I knew I had to read this first-hand account by one of the trainers featured. John spends time discussing his life as a trainer and what the whales are subject to. I appreciated that this “whistleblower” story doesn’t spend all its time knocking down SeaWorld, but rather presents the information in a way that reads like fiction. This is both a fascinating and devastating read that explores the true behavior and history of orcas.

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A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler: Please go into this novel knowing that it isn’t plot heavy. Instead, it is a beautiful portrayal of family dynamics told through multiple generations and viewpoints. The way it was set up reminded me a lot of one of my favorite southern authors, Pat Conroy. I hear this might be Tyler’s last book, which saddens me, but I know if it is she went out with a bang.

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The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson: I can’t believe that this book was not an instant bestseller. It has so many tricks up its sleeves that it’s perfect for anyone who likes a good psychological thriller. You’ll go through all the emotions (shock, anger, surprise) as you are constantly teased about who is playing who in this cat-and-mouse read. I look forward to many more by this author.

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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate: If you’re an adult, you can easily read this book in a few hours. A beautiful middle grade book told from the perspective of Ivan, a gorilla, that performs in a mall with a few other animals. I appreciated all his insight on human behaviors and laughed out loud several times. The Newberry Medal award winner will leave you with complete faith in humanity.

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Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan: This book is a completely fascinating (and very freaky) account of a young journalist experiencing seizures, psychosis, and madness when she had been completely healthy days before. It took weeks in the hospital to determine the cause and she became the 217th known case of her disease. The book is written so well that it has you turning the pages. If you have any interest in science, medicine, or psychology, you will be absorbed in this memoir. And movie fans — they just cast Chloe Grace Moretz for the film!

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Come Away with Me by Karma Brown: I’m still thinking about this novel, even months after finishing it. If you liked Eat, Pray, Love, think of this as a fictionalized version. After a terrible accident, Tegan is overcome with grief and doesn’t know how to get back to feeling like herself. When her husband suggests a worldwide adventure, she learns how to forgive. This debut will have you feeling all the emotions, and I shed many tears.

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The Admissions by Meg Mitchell Moore: While I don’t have any children old enough to be applying to college, I can definitely relate to the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality, especially coming from a real estate background. I loved how the viewpoints kept changing throughout but still managed to propel the story forward. It was hard to stop reading about this family as bit by bit they started unraveling at the seams. Author Elin Hilderbrand even offered a money-back guarantee on its merits.

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The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin: This is a truly poignant middle grade novel about a young girl dealing with the grief of losing her best friend. I love how the science was sprinkled throughout but was never technical. Definitely worthy of its National Book Award nomination and a must read for ages 10-adult.

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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: It’s no wonder Kristin Hannah is an instant bestseller. Just when I thought she had it all wrapped up in women’s fiction, she surprised me with this historical fiction novel of WWII told through the viewpoints of two sisters. The amount of 5 star reviews on this heartbreaking and profound novel is just incredible. With scenes hard to read at times, I wouldn’t want her to erase any word. This book will resonate with me for a long time.

I can’t wait to hear your reviews of any of these books and what your favorites were this year. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season!